Posted on 1/13/126 by Bob Magee
Show Recap —
Michael Cole said there would be over 11,000 in attendance
today in Düsseldorf, Germany. The country is hosting Raw for
the first time in almost 29 years.
CM Punk, The Vision (minus Bron Breakker), Je’Von Evans, El
Grande Americano and friends, AJ Styles, and Gunther arrived
at the arena.
IYO SKY & Rhea Ripley kick off Raw in Germany
Rhea Ripley welcomed Düsseldorf to Monday Night Riyho. She
talked about their win over Asuka and Kairi Sane for the tag
titles, and the crowd chanted, “You deserve it.” Iyo Sky
stole a line from Asuka and stated, “No one is ready for
Rhiyo.”
Ripley was about to issue a challenge to the locker room
when they were interrupted by Liv Morgan and Roxanne Perez.
Morgan sarcastically congratulated them before noting she
was a former tag champion who never lost her title.
Bayley and Lyra Valkyria interrupted next. Bayley paused her
promo so the fans could sing for her. Bayley said Morgan may
not have lost her title, but Perez did lose them. Plus,
Bayley beat Perez a few weeks ago, so if anyone deserved a
shot, it was her and Valkyria.
Sky yelled at everyone in Japanese until Asuka and Sane
appeared out of nowhere to attack Sky and Ripley from behind
and yank them from the ring. The remaining teams brawled
until Ripley and Sky re-entered to clear the ring.
As standard an opening segment as there ever was.
********
Jackie Redmond interviewed AJ Styles about Gunther. Styles
learned early in his career that this business was about
respect. Respect for the ring, your fellow wrestlers, and
those who came before.
He and John Cena weren’t always on the same page, but they
bonded over respect. Gunther disrespected Cena week after
week, so Styles smacked him because Cena couldn’t. Styles
would teach Gunther about respect tonight. Styles ended
with: “In fact, I’m going to make you tap out like a little
bitch.”
********
There will be a number one contender’s triple threat tag
match tonight: Morgan & Perez vs. Asuka & Sane vs. Bayley &
Valkyria.
Morgan and Perez approached Finn Bálor backstage. Bálor was
playing the WWE video game. Morgan wondered what he was
doing, and she didn’t mean the game. She said he claimed he
wanted gold but wondered if that was all talk. Judgment Day
didn’t wait around for things to happen. Raquel Rodriguez
didn’t wait for her title shot, and neither did they. It was
time to stop playing games. Perez agreed with Morgan. After
they left, Bálor responded, “Just you wait.”
Je’Von Evans vs. Bravo Americano (w/ El Grande Americano &
Rayo Americano)
El Grande attacked Evans after Rayo distracted him. Evans
fought back anyway and hit Bravo with a leaping dive and a
nice running knee strike for two. Bravo responded with an
airplane spin, which Cole noted looked familiar.
Bravo went to the top, but Evans brought him down with an
avalanche Spanish Fly, followed by an OG Cutter for the
pinfall win.
— El Grande attacked Evans after the match and chucked him
over the announce desk. Evans re-emerged atop the barricade.
They tried to swarm him, but he leaped right over the desk
and escaped through the ring and up the aisle.
Match result: Je’Von Evans vs. Bravo Americano (6:20)
This was a good little showcase for Evans, and they didn’t
overthink it. I could have done without him running away
post-match, but I’m sure he’ll be making his way through all
three guys in the coming weeks.
********
Paul Heyman approached Adam Pearce backstage. Pearce told
Heyman that if Bron Breakker plans to arrive with bad
intentions, he should turn around and go home. Pearce wasn’t
in the mood and would not tolerate it. Heyman said he would
relay the message (with exactly as much sincerity as you’d
expect).
During a break, Jey Uso entered the crowd to his music to
cut pretty much the same promo he and Jimmy cut last week.
This was just a bit for the live crowd, really.
********
CM Punk and Finn Bálor segment
Punk entered. He said he would never grow tired of being
their world champion. He planned on being champion forever,
but he knew they were on the road to WrestleMania and
anything can happen—just ask Cody Rhodes. But with the fans
behind him, Punk felt like he could do the impossible.
Before WrestleMania, there was the Royal Rumble and
Elimination Chamber. Two opportunities for guys to call
their shot, and the road to WrestleMania went through him.
He survived a battle with Bron Breakker last week, so he and
The Vision were behind him.
With the fans’ support, he looked forward to finding out who
his next challenger would be. Punk thanked the fans and was
about to leave, but was interrupted by Finn Bálor.
Bálor said he wasn’t waiting for the Rumble or Chamber.
Bálor didn’t want any hand-outs, but did recall Punk
mentioning his name as a potential challenger after he won
the title.
Punk said he did mention Bálor’s name among a long list of
talented wrestlers, but he wondered where Bálor’s ambition
was because that was months ago. Punk saw Bálor playing
video games and was preoccupied with helping Dominik and JD
McDonagh. Punk wondered if Bálor was too busy shining Liv
Morgan’s shoes.
Punk asked if he would be facing Bálor or Bálor and the
Judgment Day. Punk already dealt with the numbers game
successfully over Breakker and the Vision.
Punk acknowledged that he was a fan of Bálor. He also wanted
to be a fighting champion, so he would go to the back and
put his boots on so they could do this tonight. The crowd
cheered and chanted for Punk.
Bálor smiled when Punk accepted, but he said timing was
everything. Bálor wasn’t just jumping into anything with
Punk. Anyone who watched Bálor’s career knew that the line
started with him. Punk didn’t have to worry about Dom or JD,
but he wouldn’t be alone.
Bálor previously watched as Punk repeatedly utilized home-
field advantage in Chicago. But next week, they were in
Belfast, Ireland. They would wrestle for the title next
week, and there would be a new Irish World Champion.
Punk accepted. He apologized to the fans in Düsseldorf
because they wouldn’t get to see him work. He also
apologized to the fans in Belfast because they’d have to
watch their countryman go to sleep after a GTS.
********
There was a video package for Gunther vs. AJ Styles.
Number one contender’s triple threat tag team match: Asuka &
Kairi Sane vs. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria vs. Liv Morgan &
Roxanne Perez
The teams brawled outside until Sane wiped out everyone with
an Insane Elbow off the top. The two heel teams took turns
on offence during a break until Valkyria made a hot tag
following the break.
Valkyria gave Perez an enziguri for two. Bayley hit Asuka
with a back suplex, preventing Asuka from going after
Valkyria from behind. Everyone (minus Asuka) then did a big
stacked up powerbomb out of the corner, with Sane getting
the worst of it.
Asuka wasn’t pleased, so she hit Perez with a German suplex
before hitting Bayley and Valkyria simultaneously with a
double German suplex. Asuka held down Valkyria so Sane could
hit an Insane Elbow, but the referee did not count the fall
because Sane was not legal.
(This wasn’t the plan because everything stopped for a
moment, and Morgan still flew in to break up the cover that
wasn’t being counted. Bayley could clearly be seen talking
to Asuka and the referee as they reset.)
Everyone traded moves until Valkyria caught Sane as she
attempted a flying crossbody. Valkyria hit a backbreaker,
and Bayley followed with a flying elbow drop, but Asuka
broke up the cover. Perez hit Bayley with Pop Rox, but Sane
broke up that cover.
Sane chucked Perez from the ring, but Morgan flew in and hit
Sane with Oblivion for the pinfall win.
Morgan and Perez will challenge Ripley and Sky for the tag
titles at Saturday Night’s Main Event in Montreal on January
24th.
Match result: Liv Morgan & Roxanne Perez defeated Kairi Sane
& Sane and Bayley & Lyra Valkyria (13:02)
********
Becky Lynch cut a pre-taped promo. She wasn’t happy that
mediocre Maxxine Durpri was already getting a rematch, while
it took her almost two months to get hers. She claimed
corruption from power-mad Pearce, but was confident she
would retain the title next week in Belfast. Dupri would
have to say goodbye to the big time.
Byron Saxton interviewed Je’Von Evans during a commercial
break. He was happy to pick up his first win as an official
member of Raw, and was excited to be in Europe for the first
time. He came across as being genuinely excited and let
everyone know he would not let them down.
Redmond interviewed Maxxine Durpi (with Alpha Academy).
Dupri was disappointed he lost the title, but she proved to
everyone that she belonged. She turned to Otis and Akira
Tozawa and said she became champion because she believed in
herself and wanted to see the same from them, because they
were capable of great things. Dupri turned her attention to
Lynch, who had to cheat to beat her. Dupri fired up and said
she would break Lynch’s ankle.
********
Raquel Rodriguez and Stephanie Vaquer segment
Cole interviewed Raquel Rodriguez by the stage and asked her
why she laid out Stephanie Vaquer last week. Rodriguez
remembered when she was the girl who waited politely and
patiently for her turn at the title.
But things change, and people change. She was cheated out of
the world title week after week. She would not stop until
she had Vaquer in the ring one-on-one. When Big Sexy Raquel
Rodriguez stood tall as the new champion, then everyone
could go ahead and feel sorry for Vaquer.
Vaquer entered, wearing a walking boot, as officials
surrounded her. Rodriguez mockingly limped to the back as
Vaquer stared her down. Vaquer looked at the camera and said
this injury would not stop her. She held up the title belt
and said, “Come get it.”
Of course, Rodriguez ran in and attacked Vaquer again.
Rodriguez slammed the title belt over Vaquer’s walking boot
as the crowd chanted, “You suck.” Officials checked on
Vaquer as Rodriguez left.
(This segment was fine, and Rodriguez did well, but these
officials looked so incompetent, being the only ones in the
world who did not see this coming again.)
********
They showed clips of Drew McIntyre’s appearance as the WWE
Champion in Glasgow, Scotland, and plugged his upcoming
appearance on SmackDown.
Otis and Tozawa approached Jey Uso backstage. Otis asked Jey
for a tag title shot. Jey didn’t seem to be taking it
seriously until Otis got in his face. Jey realized he was
serious, so he said he would talk to Jimmy. However, he
warned them they would be standing in the ring with the best
tag team in the game. Tozawa said Yeet.
Bronson Reed & Austin Theory (w/ Paul Heyman & Logan Paul)
vs. Penta & Dragon Lee
Penta was all over Theory, but took too much time posing, so
Theory just dropped him with a boot. Reed tagged in, but
Penta and Dragon Lee worked together to take him down.
Dragon hit a dropkick in the corner, but Reed emphatically
kicked out at one.
Reed caught Dragon’s flying crossbody attempt and slammed
him. After Dragon spilled out of the ring, Theory (not the
legal man) decked him right in front of the referee. (The
babyfaces are always stopped from getting involved when they
aren’t legal, but the heels get away with it.)
Dragon Lee hit Reed with a DDT after a break, and Penta made
the hot tag, hitting Theory with a backstabber for two.
Dragon and Penta handed out superkicks to everyone,
including Logan Paul. Dragon then wiped out Logan and Theory
with a flip dive.
As Dragon Lee posed outside the ring, Bron Breakker ran down
and speared him for the DQ. Penta invited Bron into the
ring, so Bron jumped in and speared him, too.
Bron was about to kill Dragon Lee with a running spear
outside the ring, but Pearce suddenly got in his face. As
Pearce admonished Bron, Reed laid out Penta with a Tsunami
in the background (this was shot well by the cameraperson).
Pearce popped into the ring to get in Reed’s face, but that
allowed Bron to spear Dragon Lee.
Pearce flung Bron around by his shoulder and told him he was
sick of this shit. Bron aggressively grabbed Pearce and
shoved him into the corner. Bron screamed at Pearce as the
rest of the Vision held him back. Pearce yelled at Heyman
and Vision to get Bron out of here.
Match result: Dragon Lee & Penta defeated Bronson Reed &
Austin Theory via disqualification (9:27)
(This match was a waste of time, but Bron came across well
in the post-match.)
Medical staff checked on Penta and Dragon Lee backstage.
Je’Von Evans approached and told them to let him know if
they needed anything.
Pearce found Bron backstage and kept screaming at him.
Pearce suspended him indefinitely. Bron got in Pearce’s
face, but Reed pulled him away. Heyman told Pearce just made
a big mistake. Heyman reminded Pearce that he was the one
who put his hands on Bron first.
********
There was a WrestleMania commercial with Triple H. He
received video calls from Peyton Manning, Jon Bernthal, Pete
Davidson, Eric André, IShowSpeed, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Lil
Yachty, Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Haliburton, Tony Hinchcliffe,
Cam Skattebo, and Travis Barker. They all tried pitching
WrestleMania ideas involving themselves, which stressed out
Triple H.
Among the comedy here was Hinchcliffe suggesting he win the
Women’s title, and André calling Triple H a sissy.
********
Next week on Raw in Belfast (3 pm ET/12 pm PT start time):
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Maxxine Dupri for the Women’s
Intercontinental title
CM Punk (c) vs. Finn Bálor for the World Heavyweight title
There was an Oba Femi video package and a plug for NXT.
********
Redmond interviewed Gunther. He called Styles disrespectful
for smacking him in the face over something he had no
involvement in. It was disrespectful to do that to the best
wrestler in this company, and disrespectful to do that to
the man who made Cena tap out like a little bitch. If
Gunther could do that to the so-called greatest of all time,
Styles should be worried about what happens to him after the
bell rings. (If you don’t watch regularly, Gunther gets a
lot of heat the second he mentions tapping out Cena.)
Gunther vs. AJ Styles
Styles was all over Gunther early on, and he targeted
Gunther’s leg with a series of kicks. Gunther slammed Styles
on the apron, but Styles fought back with a sliding knee
strike. Gunther cut off Styles again with a clothesline in
the ring, but Styles kept fighting back until Gunther
chopped him off the top rope.
Gunther held control through a break and continued with
chops following the break. Styles tried firing back with
strikes, but Gunther decked him with a clothesline. There
were dueling chants until Gunther did the ‘you can’t see me’
gesture. The hesitation allowed Styles to mount a comeback,
and he hit three consecutive dragon screws (again targeting
the leg).
Styles avoided a clothesline and hit a Pelé kick. Styles
applied the Calf Crusher, but Gunther got a rope break.
Styles went to the apron and hit a forearm, but he ‘slipped’
on whatever he tried next, so Gunther chopped him. Gunther
tried applying a sleeper, but Styles wrenched his leg in the
ropes.
Styles hit a springboard somersault leg drop to the leg of
Gunther for two. (That was cool, and came completely out of
nowhere.) Styles went for a Phenomenal Forearm, but Gunther
dodged it, and they traded counters until Gunther hit a
clothesline and powerbomb for two.
They traded strikes and chops until Styles applied the Calf
Crusher again, but Gunther escaped by smashing Styles’ head
against the mat. Gunther popped up and hit a shotgun
dropkick, but Styles again managed to apply the Calf
Crusher.
Styles suddenly let go and told the referee to raise his
hand, claiming that Gunther tapped out. Styles motioned as
though Gunther submitted by tapping his (Styles’) leg, but
the referee had no idea what he was talking about, and he
told the ring announcer, Alicia Taylor, that the match would
continue.
Styles was pissed, but went after Gunther. The ref was in
the middle of talking to Taylor, so Gunther gave Styles a
low blow. Gunther followed with a powerbomb for the pinfall
win.
Match result: Gunther defeated AJ Styles (17:53)
This was an excellent match until the finish. They showed a
replay to explain what happened, and Wade Barrett suggested
that Gunther tapped on purpose, knowing that the referee
wouldn’t see it, and that Styles would let go. Styles looked
like a goof for letting go despite a call not being made, so
the follow-up will be important. I’m sure the fans will be
into the Calf Crusher when they do the inevitable rematch,
which was ultimately the point.